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  • Summer 2017

Hello, 2017! Introducing Pemi’s Staff

2017: Newsletter #1

Greetings from Wentworth, NH, where Camp Pemigewassett’s 110th season is well underway. Opening Day on Saturday went extraordinarily smoothly, despite a few showers in the morning. As usual, veteran campers rolled in prior to lunch and were ready to greet boys new to Pemi in the increasingly sunny afternoon, showing them around the camp before guiding them up to the mess hall for our customary first meal of pizza. The evening’s entertainment was our inaugural Campfire of the season, featuring talent aplenty from both campers and staff – among the most memorable of the acts being Will Weber with a truly spectacular performance on classical guitar.

Sunday’s weather was perfect for most of its span, allowing for the full array of swim tests, medical checks, weekly activity (“occupations”) sign-ups, and a range of amusing diversions for the various age groups. A very brief shower converted our cook-out into a cook-in, but the sun was out once again when the camp community filed into the Lodge for an illustrated talk on Pemi History from Tom Reed, Jr.

Today (Monday), occupations got off with a bang under skies of brilliant blue, graced now and again by fair weather cumulus scudding down the valley on a moderate breeze. Having signed up for anything from Baseball to Yoga, Rock Band to Steam Punk Metal Boxes, your sons kept themselves supremely busy through four hours of instruction and fun. Many will have grabbed a moment or two to respond to this week’s prompt from the editors of Bean Soup – our Pemi equivalent of The Daily Show and dating back to 1910. Come 7:45, we will all hear what respondents imagine red-bearded trip leader Nick Davini spent his days doing over the winter. We suspect there may be some alternate facts sprinkled in with plausible likelihoods.

Now, for a more dependable account of what Nick and the other members of our superb staff bring to Pemi this summer, we turn to the bios they scribed prior to arriving at Lower Baker. We trust you’ll be as impressed as we with the range of their experience, talents, and points of origin.

Pemi’s 2017 staff during pre-season, on the summit of Mt Cardigan


Danny Kerr (Director):
This will be my 8th year as Director at Pemi and my 45th at summer camp and I’m only 39! This fuzzy math aside, I am looking forward to another terrific summer in 2017. When not doing the Director thing, I very much enjoy coaching baseball at Pemi, playing the guitar and basketball with the boys, and recruiting any camper or counselor I can to join the legion of small, but dedicated, New York Met fans. I also enjoy spending time with my wife Julia 🙂

Ken Moore (Assistant Director): This will be my 25th summer at Pemi, starting first in 1992 as a ten-year old camper in Junior 5, and now as one of Pemi’s year ’round staff. Over the course of the year, I oversee the Pemi Program, Alumni Relations (Pemi’s 110th Reunion is this August!), Pemi West, and our general outreach efforts. Four years ago, my wife Sarah and I moved from Cleveland, OH to Plainfield, NH, and are excited for what 2017 has in store.

Tom Reed (Consulting Director and Head of Trips): The grandson of a Pemi founder, I have lived on Lower Baker all but a handful of summers since 1947. My ‘day job’ was teaching English literature and film at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania, but I retired in 2015 and have recently moved to Sarasota with my wife Dottie. It’s true what they say: there are no mountains in Florida. Otherwise, though, there’s a lot to like, at least on the West Coast. I’ll be running the trip program again at Pemi this summer, as well as writing newsletters, leading mess hall singing, and helping out with the Gilbert and Sullivan show.

Dottie Reed (Administrator): This is my 30th summer at Pemi! After the 2016 camp season, Tom and I moved to Sarasota, Florida where our daily life includes walking, swimming, biking, and/or kayaking. Evenings often see us at concerts, movies, great restaurants, or catching up on some TV binge-watching (which for us means two episodes at a time). This freedom is a delightful result of having handed over a significant portion of my off-season Pemi administrative responsibilities to Allyson Fauver (have I said thank-you today, Allyson?). This summer, I’m back in the saddle (or more specifically, the Pemi office) where I’m happily involved with Pemi’s daily communication and administrative efforts and constantly charmed by our campers.

Allyson Fauver (Administrator): I’m so excited this year to be helping Danny, Kenny, and Dottie with forms and parent support! I live in Bozeman, MT (great backcountry skiing), but I grew up in New Hampshire and Maine and return every chance I get. I spent most of my childhood summers at Pemi, and have worked behind-the-scenes as a board member for several years (currently serving as Treasurer).

Heather Leeds (Administrator): I have been teaching and working with children for over 25 years. I am currently the co-director of a rural elementary school in western Massachusetts, and live at Northfield Mount Hermon with my husband and 3 children. For the past 10 years, I’ve enjoyed spending the summers working in the Pemi Office.

Kim Malcolm (Administrator): This is my 26th year at Camp Pemi. During the offseason I live at Northfield Mt. Hermon School with my husband, Charlie, and 2 children. I am also a physical therapist.

Cabin Counselors (CC) and Assistant Counselors (AC)

J1 – Harry Cooke (CC): This summer will be my eighth on the shores of Lower Baker Pond and second as a cabin counselor. I am a rising junior at Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA, set to study abroad next year at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England. I look forward to working in the music and nature programs as well as assisting on the camp waterfront.

J1 – Nicholas Gordon (AC): I am from Princeton, NJ. I am so happy to be returning to Pemi for my 9th summer! I have loved taking part in the nature program as a camper and can’t wait to work in the Nature Lodge as a staff member. I am also very excited to take part in this year’s G&S production. As I start this new chapter in my Pemi career, I am very excited to continue to learn new things and challenge myself as a counselor.

J2 – Wes Eifler (CC / Division Head / Bean Soup editor): I’m originally from New Canaan, Connecticut. For the past 6 years I have been going to school and now living/ working in the DC. Currently I am a 5th Grade Teacher at Bells Mill Elementary in Potomac, Maryland. I just finished my first full year of teaching and I am excited to be back at Pemi for my 14th Summer where, in addition to my other roles, I plan to be a staunch force on the baseball diamond.

J2 – Jon Duval (AC): After six years as a camper at Pemi, this will be my first year on staff. I am from the Washington D.C area, and will be a Freshman this fall at Cornell University. I enjoy athletics and competing in sports of all kinds, but my favorite sport is tennis. At Pemi this summer I am looking forward to helping campers to be themselves and to teaching tennis.

J3 – Sam Dixon (CC): Hello! I’m from a place called Newcastle in the north-east of England. This will be my first summer at Pemi and I can’t wait to get started. My interests are mostly sports, and being outdoors keeping active. I’m looking forward to meeting everyone at camp and teaching you all some Geordie words and phrases!

J3 – Kai Soderberg (AC): I live in Sarasota, FL. I’m a high school senior and enjoy running and archery. I lifeguard year round at a local Sarasota pool. This summer I will be helping out on the archery range and with the running programs at Pemi. I also hope to start a XC team at Pemi and lead the boys in some local races. I have been a camper at Pemi for eight years and this will be my first time as a staff member. I’m very exited about being on the staff and look forward to another wonderful summer.

J4 – Will Katcher (CC): I’m from Needham, MA, and this coming year I’ll be a freshman at the University of Massachusetts Amherst Honors College, where I’ll be studying Journalism. In high school I ran Cross Country and Track, which I hope to continue in some form in college. This will be my 7th summer at Pemi and second on staff, after four years as a camper and one on Pemi West. I’m looking forward to helping out all around camp and I can’t wait for another great summer!

J4: Will Raduziner (AC): I am a rising senior at Fairview High school in Boulder Colorado. This summer will be my eighth summer at Pemi and my first year on staff. Last year I went on Pemi West and participated in CAP (Counselor Apprentice Program). This year I plan on helping in the nature lodge, on the archery range, and with sailing.

J5: Pete Moody (CC): Hi. I’m from Milford, Connecticut. This is my first year at Pemi and I am excited to be at Pemi this summer. I have an interest in video games, movies, frisbee, and golf. I look forward to getting to know my campers very well over the coming weeks. I was a Boy Scout for most of my life and hope to share my experiences with them.

J5: Ezra Nugiel (AC): I’m thrilled to be returning to the shores of Lower Baker for my tenth summer, which include nine years as a camper and this year, my first on staff. I hail from right outside Philadelphia in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and I’m a rising freshman at Middlebury College in Vermont. I plan to help out with all Pemi has to offer, especially in the music department and down at the ski dock. I can’t wait for the incredible summer ahead!

J6 – Per Soderberg (CC): My name is Per Soderberg. I’m from Sarasota, Florida and this will be my 10th summer at Pemi. Some of my hobbies include drawing, painting, woodworking and other crafts. I aspire to be a mechanical engineer and this fall I will be a freshman at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Indiana. This summer I look forward to teaching arts and crafts, wood shop and archery.

J6 – Ben Ross (AC): I am a rising senior at BB&N in Cambridge, MA where I row, wrestle, and play soccer. I was a camper at Pemi for four years, and I went on Pemi West last year. I am excited to be back as an assistant counselor this year.

L1 – Matt Kanovsky (CC): I am from Briarcliff Manor, New York, and just finished my freshman year at Harvey Mudd College in Southern California studying computer science. This will be my 12th summer at Pemi and my third year on staff, as I finally get to fulfill my lifelong dream of being a cabin counselor. This summer, I am excited to teach nature and photography, and use my years of experience to be the most thorough inspector to ever have stepped foot on the shores of Lower Baker.

L2 – Daniel Bowes (CC): I live in Washington DC; however, I went to a small boarding school in south central PA called Mercersburg Academy. I plan to attend Lehigh University next year, where I will study in their undergraduate business school. I spent 7 amazing summers at camp and I am very much looking forward to my first year on staff. I plan to help out with sports, mainly basketball and lacrosse.

L2 – Sam Berman (CC): Hi all; this summer will be my eighth at Camp Pemi. I’m from New York City, where I’m a rising senior at a small public school in the Bronx. Outside of school I play soccer for Downtown United Soccer Club and figure to be spending most of my summer working out on the pitch.

L3 – Chris Carlin (CC): I’m From Paisley, a town on the outskirts of Glasgow in Scotland. I’m currently studying Environmental Management at Glasgow Caledonian University with the intention of going into renewable energy or conservation. I have always been interested in the environment and the wildlife in it, so I’m glad to be working in the nature programme at Pemi this summer. I’m also very interested in music, which I will also be working in at Pemi. This is my first year at Pemi and I’m very much looking forward to it!

L3 – Charlie Scott (AC): I will be a senior at Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro New Hampshire. I am originally from Hanover, but have lived overseas for the past 15 years. I have been a part of the Pemi family since I was 8, however, this will be my first summer working at Pemi. I enjoy being outdoors and playing soccer. I am very excited to be an assistant counselor and look forward to helping coach soccer and being very helpful to the kids in my cabin and all throughout camp.

L4 – Nicholas Pigeon (CC): This will be my 7th summer on the shores of Lower Baker Pond, and I’m ecstatic to be returning to Camp Pemi as a counselor. I’m from a host of places, growing up in Guatemala, China, Ukraine, Italy, and Chile. Currently I am a rising sophomore at American University in Washington D.C., studying international relations. I’m looking forward to helping campers improve their jumpshot, hone their skills on the soccer field, and appreciate the natural world. I can’t wait for another incredible summer and hope to pass on my love for Pemi to the campers!

L5 – Andy MacDonald (CC / Division Head): I hail from Scotland and I’m about to start my 3rd year at Pemi. I’m known best at Pemi for constantly having random Shrek quotes thrown at me, as well as performing the greatest campfire act of all time last summer. I’m wondering if the kids will change it up this year and have new Scottish based insults for me :p. I love playing sport, hiking, reading and organizing events. I’ll be involved in soccer, tennis, and canoeing occupations. I can’t wait to see some familiar faces this summer. Bring it on!

L5 – Sam Seaver (AC): Hi. I am from Norwich, Vermont and I am currently a sophomore at The Millbrook School. I was a Pemi camper for 4 years and I loved every second that I was at Pemi; Pemi was my home away from home. This will be my first year on staff and I plan to help coach tennis and soccer and to help out with the waterskiing program.

L6 – Ned Roosevelt (CC): This summer will be my ninth on the shores of Lower Baker Pond. I am a rising sophomore at Wheaton College where I am on the tennis team. I look forward to meeting you all and extending the same warm welcome to you that I received back in the day. I’ll be helping out with the sports program, mainly tennis and baseball. See you on the courts and on the fields!

L7 – Cole Valente (CC): Hello! I’m from Princeton, New Jersey and I’m a rising sophomore at Dickinson College. This will be my fourth summer at Pemi, my first as a counselor, and I’m so happy to be back. I enjoy reading, playing water polo, doing improv, eating, and being outside, and I can’t wait to teach some of these this summer. If college doesn’t work out for whatever reason, I plan to secretly spend my winters at Pemi, living in the Messhall. I’m ready for a great summer and can’t wait to be back at Pemi!

U1 – JP Gorman (CC / First Session): My name, JP, is short for John Peter. I was born and raised in Ireland where I studied Music and Mathematics at University College Dublin. This will be my second year on staff at Pemi. Last year I was a Trip Leader. This year I’ll be a Cabin Counselor 1st half until Nick Hurn joins the cabin at which point I’ll shift to the role of Trip Leader for the 2nd half. Apart from hiking I love soccer, kayaking, and playing piano.

U1 – Nick Hurn (CC / Second Session): This summer will be my second year at Pemi, and although I can’t be on the shores of Lower Baker for the whole summer, I’m excited to be returning for all of second half! Last year I was the cabin counselor for J4 and taught/instructed a range of activities…if I wasn’t in Art World you’d probably find me on the waterfront or in the woodshop. During the not-so-exciting part of the year I go to Medical School at the University of Manchester in the UK. By the time I reach the White Mountains this summer I will have completed my fourth of six years, and I’m looking forward to taking a holiday!

U2 – Nick Davini (Trip Leader): I’m an anthropology major and rising senior at the University of New Hampshire. This summer will be my ninth at Pemi, and my fifth on staff. I look forward to being a trip counselor again this year. I feel at home in the woods, and love Pemi trips in the White Mountains. I also have experience instructing in the woodshop, archery range, and Art World at Pemi.

U2: Benjamin Potter (CC): Hi there. I am 21 years old and I come from a small seaside town called Margate in the South East of England, UK. I enjoy a number of sports, including soccer, ice hockey, and my passionate sport, Rugby, which I have played for over 6 years for my local team. Besides sports, I also enjoy and have a huge passion for music such as classic rock, blues, heavy metal, and a mixture of genres. I’ve played the bass guitar and the drums for a number of years and can also play basic guitar chords. This is my first summer with Pemi and I am really looking forward to teaching soccer and beginning guitar and drums. Bring on the summer!!

U3 – Will Meinke (CC / Division Head): I’m from Westport Connecticut and I’m excited to be back for my eleventh summer on the shores of Lower Baker. This year I will mainly be working in the Waterski and Soccer program areas. I’m looking forward to another amazing summer at Pemi.

U3 – Ted Orben (AC): Returning to the shores of Lower Baker Pond for my seventh summer, I am stoked to be a staff member for the first time! I live in Fairfield, Connecticut during the school year where I’m a rising senior at Fairfield Warde High School, and in the summer I’m either at camp or traveling. I’m looking forward to an unforgettable summer filled with water skiing, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, and more!

U4 – Julian Hernandez-Webster (CC): I am from New Jersey. I love playing soccer, going hiking, and trying new things – a habit I picked up in my five summers as a camper at Pemi. I am looking forward to returning to Lower Baker and taking part in all sorts of activities unique to Pemi! Favorites of mine include frisbee running bases, barrel ball, and wakeboarding.

U4 – Sam Papel (Trip Leader): This will be my 12th summer at Pemi, my third on staff, and my first as a Trip Leader. I’m excited to get back and lead some great hikes, as well as coach Ultimate Frisbee. I’m from Nashville Tennessee, and I am a rising senior at Vanderbilt University where I study Engineering.

U5 – Nick Bertrand (CC): I just finished my first year at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, where I was a member of the men’s soccer team. I am a biomedical engineering major with a focus in biomechanics. I live just 40 minutes away from camp in Hanover NH, and will be returning for my eleventh year with Pemi. I am looking forward to another great summer of coaching soccer and baseball.

S1 – Jack Stoker (CC): I have just finished 3 years at Northumbria University studying sport science and coaching in addition to business studies. I am eager to come to Camp Pemigewassett and contribute my enthusiasm and energy towards the camp. I hope to meet lots of new friends for life and to have a positive impact on the children’s lives. I am very sporty and competitive and willing to meet any challenge.

S2 – Kilian Wegner (CC): Hey! I recently graduated from Communication Studies in DCU, Dublin. Although it was my final year of college and there was a heavy workload, I made sure to keep up Soccer and Trampoline on the side. This will be my second fun-filled summer at Pemi and I’m looking forward to teaching lots of the same fun occupations as last year, with a few new ones too! With a year under my belt, I’m excited to be an even better counselor now that I know the ropes. I’m enthusiastic and driven, and I found that at Pemi I was really able to bring my passion and instill that same energy into the campers whether it was for birdwatching, soccer, photography, or art!

S3 – Tommy Gorman (CC): I am a first-time counselor from Metuchen, New Jersey and I am currently enrolled at Bucknell University and will be a Junior this fall. I am a former camper and I went to Pemi for two summers. I will be helping out with swimming, basketball, and lacrosse during my time at Pemi this summer.

LT – Dan Reed (CC / Division Head / Head of Occupations / Bean Soup editor): I return to Pemi in 2017 for my 17th summer as camper or staff, and am thrilled to return to my 2007 home: Lake Tent. I’ve just finished my first year teaching English and coaching squash and tennis at the Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, CT.

Program Staff and more…

Kim Bradshaw: Hi! It’s my 3rd Summer at Pemigewassett. I’m from Nottingham in England where Robin Hood originates from. I have been involved with numerous areas at Pemi and my favourite sport is definitely soccer (however, I seemed to misplace my bright pink cleats from last year) and I cannot wait for Polar Bear!!! Bring on the Summer 2017!!!

Scout Brink: Hello! I am from upstate New York. This is my first full summer at Camp Pemi, and I will be part of the Nature staff. Hiking is my favorite thing to do in the summer time, and in the winter I participate in winterguard. Many people don’t know what this is, so don’t be afraid to ask about it, and you can even try yourself! Most of my free time will probably be spent on the archery range.

Steve Broker – Visiting Professional: I have worked in science education for the past 47 years, including teaching high school physical and life science in New Haven, CT for 23 years, also serving as associate director of Wesleyan’s Graduate Liberal Studies Program, director of programs at Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, and adjunct lecturer at several CT universities. My father, Tom Broker, was waterfront director at Pemi during 1933-38. This is my fifth year as visiting professional at Pemi. I teach the study of birds in the first week of occupations.

Alan Brown: I’m from Jacksonville, Florida. I’m super excited to embark on my first year at Camp Pemi and can’t wait to meet all of the staff and campers that I’ll be spending the summer with. I’ll be overseeing waterskiing during the first session and helping out wherever needed throughout the season. I’ve been teaching school and working at camps for over 20 years now and truly believe that it is my recipe for staying young!   I spend all of my free time with my wonderful wife, Ashley, and my two young children, Landon and Teagan. We enjoy doing outdoor activities such as biking, hiking, hitting the beach, and tubing down rivers.

Steve Clare – Head of Archery: I live in Cornwall, a rural county in the UK’s SW. I have my own teaching practice supporting schools with specialist lessons. I also freelance for a charity and work as a substitute teacher through agencies. I coach two under-13s football (soccer) teams and help coach an under-16s team my son, Morgan, plays for. I also run a weekly community football programme for younger players. This will be my 3rd year at Pemi as Head of the Archery Department & 13s soccer. I’ll also be camp fire MC & cook-out chef. I’m looking forward to returning & playing my part in the Pemi family for another summer, whilst beating Wes in the ‘What Is It?’ competition – again!!!

Amy Comparetto: I’m excited to spend my first summer at Camp Pemi this year! I live in Concord, NH. I spend my work hours teaching, practicing piano and cello, and performing. When I’m not working, I enjoy hiking, snowboarding, and spending time with friends. I’ll be in the music department at Camp Pemi. I can’t wait to meet everyone!

Larry Davis – Director of Nature Programs and Teaching: This will be my 48th consecutive summer on the staff at Pemi. I am a geologist with AB and AM degrees in Earth Sciences from Washington University in St. Louis and a PhD in Geological Sciences from the University of Rochester. During the winter, I am Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of New Haven. I play the flute, was an intercollegiate soccer official, collect waterfalls, and love to travel. I have been to 47 US States, 7 Canadian Provinces, and 9 other countries. I am very active in the Children in Nature movement and believe that no child should be left inside!

Hawk Dunston – Visiting Professional: Though I can only come to the shores of Lower Baker Pond for a week this summer, I’m so excited to be returning to Pemi as a visiting professional, helping out with hoops, playing some music, doing some improv, and whatever else is needed of me! I’ve spent 3 full summers at Pemi, worked as the Head of Staff for a month in 2012, and supervised the Counselor Apprenticeship Program in 2015. When not at Pemi, I am teacher and play music in a few groups in Philadelphia.

Reese Eifler: This is my first year back to Pemi since I was a camper in ’98, and I look forward to directing our Gilbert & Sullivan production of Iolanthe for the first time. I graduated from NYU with a BFA in Theatre/Acting in ’08 and will be teaching guitar and contributing my experience as a lifelong musician, vocalist, pianist, and songwriter. I’ll also get to coach baseball and lacrosse and join my brother, Wesley, on staff. Outside Pemi, I use all that alongside programming as an independent PC game developer in Manhattan, where I currently make a real time strategy simulation game about yellow taxis.

Michaella Frank: I’m so excited to returning to Camp Pemi! I am from Avon Lake, OH and I recently finished my second year at Cleveland State University studying Music Therapy. This will be my third summer at camp. I’m looking forward to meeting new campers, seeing older ones, and making everyday an adventure. As a staff member I will be teaching vocal and instrumental music, and coaching basketball. I can’t wait to see what this camp year has to offer!

Chloe Jaques: This is going to be my first year at Camp Pemigewassett and I am very excited to be joining this summer! I am from London and am currently in my second year at the University of Nottingham studying history. I am a very eager sportswoman and therefore looking forward to participating in all of camp’s activities. This year at camp I will be both a swim instructor and lifeguard at Pemi, as well as helping out in Canoeing, Kayaking, Track and Field, and Arts.

Chris Johnson – Head of Tennis: I am very excited to be back at Pemi as Head of Tennis for my fourth summer. I reside in Cleveland, Ohio where everyone is still fired up about the Cavs championship and the Indians World Series appearance. I just finished my 16th year teaching fourth grade and I also coach boys and girls high school tennis. My girls team won their third State Championship this past fall. I also serve as Vice President of the Ohio Tennis Coaches Association. My family and I look forward to an amazing summer on the shores of Lower Baker!

CJ Jones – Head of Swimming: I’m Charlotte from Salisbury in the UK and this will be my third summer working at Pemi! I’m so excited for the season to begin and to take on more responsibility as head of swimming. It’s going to be great to see how the boys have grown as people over the last school year and to help them gain in confidence during Pemi 2017. This will be the perfect end to a very difficult year for me. Pemi is such a wonderful place to be with amazing people and a noble ethos. Can’t wait to see everyone!!

Deb Kure – Associate Head of Nature: Studying Geology at the University of Rochester sparked my love of Field Trips, and of learning and teaching outside! I’ve led outdoor science programs since then, through camps, museums, and trips programs throughout the U.S. During the school year I’m an Educator at Quarrybrook Experiential Education Center in southern New Hampshire, leading science field classes with pre-K through graduate students, and family groups. I’m grateful to be in my 10th Pemi Summer!

Lianne Lariviere – Head of Shop: Hello Everyone! I am pleased to be joining the Pemi staff for my first year. I am from Thetford, Vermont and am currently going to school perusing a BFA in wood/furniture design. I am looking forward to sharing my knowledge and having fun this summer. When I am not in the wood shop, I can usually be found reading a book or working on another art project.

Charlie Malcolm – Director of Athletics: I’m entering my 34th season on the shores of Lower Baker, and my 29th as Pemi’s Athletic Director.  During the school year at the Northfield Mount Hermon School, I teach history, coach soccer and baseball. I hold a Premier License from the National Soccer Coaches Association and have led NMH’S Boys’ Varsity soccer team to two New England Class A Championships.

Molly Malone – Head of Waterskiing (2nd Session): I am from Chippewa Falls, WI and this is my 3rd year at camp. During the school year I teach high school orchestra, play violin in the local symphony and piano at churches in the area. My passion in life is water skiing, and I am fortunate to have the opportunity to ski every day (that there isn’t ice on the lake)! At camp I will be working on the ski boat teaching water skiing – something I absolutely love!

Hattie McLeod – Bugler: I’m excited to spend my first summer at Pemi assisting in swimming, music and canoeing as well as being camp bugler! I’m 20 years old, and grew up near Windsor, UK (where the Queen lives some of the time!) and I’m currently studying Geography at Oxford University.

Harry Morris – Head of Staff / Canoeing: I am super excited to be back for my 9th summer at Pemi! This year I will be the Head of Staff and the Head of Canoeing. I am ready to help out both my fellow staff and campers in each position to the best of my abilities. I hope to lead the Allagash Trip again this summer for my 4th consecutive year. Along with that, I hope to make this a fun summer for the staff by showing them all the wonderful things that a summer in New Hampshire offers!

Becky Noel – Head of Music: I can’t wait to be back for my third summer at Pemi! This year I’m excited to be Head of the Music programme and look forward to seeing all the wonderful talent we have at camp. I have a love of water polo which I’m excited to be teaching also. I will be graduating from the University of Manchester, UK (in the middle of summer) with a BSc in Biomedical Sciences After Pemi, I will be returning to Manchester for a research masters in reproduction and pregnancy.

Emily Palmer – Head of Sailing: I am from Hampshire, England and this will be my third summer at Pemi leading the Sailing and Windsurfing programme. I graduated in 2016 from the University of Kent, Canterbury after spending three years studying History. Since leaving University I have spent many a month skippering a private yacht in Greece and travelling around Italy. I am very excited to be returning to Pemi and enjoying another great season on the shores and waters of Lower Baker Pond.

Deb Pannell – Head of Art: I live in California, just north of San Francisco, and during the school year, I teach fifth-grade at Mark Day School in San Rafael. I taught art at Pemi for three years previously, and I took the past two years off to participate in some amazing professional development opportunities. I am delighted to be returning this summer! When teaching math, literature, history, science, and writing, I know my students benefit from opportunities to express their knowledge and understanding through a variety of modalities, especially art. Some of my students’ most brilliant artwork is completed in response to a science, literature, or math prompt. Students’ artwork gives me a perspective into their interests and understanding that is often broader that what I can see in their writing, computations, or oral presentations. Rather than emphasizing realistic drawing (an exercise that leads many students to dislike art), I design art lessons to emphasize choice, experimentation, growth mindset, and fun. I look forward to being a part of the Pemi community this summer!

Caretakers of our Physical and Mental Well-Being

Reed Harrigan – Head of Buildings and Grounds: I grew up in the Washington, D.C. area and graduated from Frostburg State College with a degree in Parks and Recreation. I decided that New England was where I wanted to be and took a job as recreational director at Waterville Estates, a resort community in Campton, NH. I then worked at a local high school, working with special education students and as a seasonal Forest Ranger in the White Mountain National Forest. I began working at Camp Pemi seven years ago, first as a bus driver and maintenance person, then as an instructor in canoeing and kayaking. This is my fifth year as year-round Facilities and Grounds Director.

Kaitlyn Jackson – Nurse: Hello. This will be my first year at Pemi. I am from Rhode Island and graduated this past May with a Bachelors of Science in Nursing from Colby-Sawyer College in New London, NH. Throughout college I was a member of the rugby team but I have also played most other sports at one point in my life. I also enjoy spending time outdoors and love camp fires.

Berkan Ersen Kabadayi – Kitchen Staff: I was born in Manisa. My family and I went to Rome and lived there for 3 years and then we moved to Izmir in 2002. Now I’m studiyng at Kocaeli University. I’m 19 years old. I have a sister who’s 5 years older than me. My mother is a housewife. My father was a Police officer but he passed away this year. I miss him and I will make his last wish come true by coming America this summer. I’m a person who wants to discover a new meaning of life. I love travelling, learning new things, making new friends and sharing my experinces. I teach Mathematics and science to people who are between 10-16 years old. I do a lot of things while I’m free. For example, I always prefer to travel on foot, I sing songs, I draw portraits, I do karate that I’ve been trained for 7 years and obtain a black belt. I practice and train with my friends and kids. I also love swimming. All of those are much more fun when I have friends around me.

Michal Kostrzewski – Kitchen Staff: I was born in 1993 in Czestochowa. My mum is a doctor. My father owns a company. They live in Czestochowa. I have an older sister named Daria. She is 27 and she’s married. She works in a court. Her husband Piotr works in sales at an IT company. They live in Warsaw. I grew up in an apartment block in Czestochowa. Now my family owns a house in the suburbs. I moved from Czestochowa to study, first in Wroclaw, then in Warsaw. I moved from Wroclaw to Warsaw because I wanted to study in the capital. Currently I rent a room in Warsaw with three people. My hobbies are bicycling, skiing, and swimming. I’m interested in fitness and travelling.

Jakub Litkowski – Kitchen Staff: Hi! My name is Jakub. I come from a city called Poznan, which is located on west of Poland. I am 23 years old, and right now I am, a student of ecological power engineering. In the future I’m planning to run my own company which will be working at renewable sources of energy. I have never been in America before, so I feel a litlle bit nervous and excited about the journey.

Patterson Malcolm – Buildings and Grounds: This is officially my 11th summer at camp, but I actually have spent every summer of my life at Pemi. I just graduated from Northfield Mount Hermon School and will be taking a gap year before joining Swarthmore College class of 2022. This summer I will be working in maintenance at Pemi as well as interning at Senator Shaheen’s office in Manchester, NH.

Rachel “Sunshine” Preston – Kitchen Staff: This is my second year at pemi. I will be in the kitchen. I love art and cooking.

Frank Roberts – Buildings and Grounds: I am a native of New Hampshire and currently live in Groton, NH. I am an avid organic gardener, hobby guitarist and a lover of the outdoors. Spent many years in the Boy Scouts of America as a camper and am looking forward to participating in the tradition now as an adult.

Marc “Papa Bear” Rogers – Kitchen Staff: I’m from Greenville, New Hampshire where I am a sous chef at Southern New Hampshire University. This is my first summer at Pemi, but I’m a seasoned “community” chef as I’ve worked for years at summer camps. In my free time, I enjoy hiking and playing the bagpipes.

Luke Solms – Visiting Professional: I am from Bedford, NH and was a 6 year camper at Pemi. I am an art and global community initiative teacher Cardigan Mountain School, a junior boarding school in Canaan, NH. I also coach Lacrosse, Mountain Biking, and Hockey. I plan on coaching lacrosse at Pemi this summer after I wrap up my summer coaching commitments!

Amy Van Loon – Nurse: Hello all! This is my first year at Pemi and I am very excited. I am originally from Vermont, went to college in upstate New York and I am now in graduate school at Yale to become a Certified Nurse Midwife. My favorite activities include hiking and swimming, and I have a weakness for peppermint stick ice cream. Can’t wait to meet you all!

Fiona Walker – Trip Leader: I hail from Portland, Oregon and recently completed my Sophomore Year at Kenyon College where I am currently studying Psychology and English as well as running cross-country and track. This will be by first year at Pemi and I’m excited to be a Trip Leader as well as to help out with track&field on the side. I’ve always been an outdoor enthusiast and look forward to exploring the White Mountains with everyone this summer!

HBA Akinci – Kitchen Staff: I spent a wonderful time when I came to PEMI 2 years ago and had an opportunity to recognize new culture and people. My department is teaching of physics at university because of this I am curious. Also I like to engage in sports activities like basketball, fitness, swimming, trekking and canoeing. I want to work in kitchen again and I like food preparation and cooking.

Tom Ciglar – Director of Food Service: This is my 15th season at Pemi. During the school year I am the Director of Operations for Hampshire Country School in Rindge, where I live with my wife, Anna, and son, Jonathan.

Cass Cross – Kitchen Staff: I’m originally from New England but for last few years have been living in Florida. I am an elementary teacher and artist. I hope to enjoy my first year at Pemi.

Nancy Cushman – Kitchen Staff: My name is Nancy Cushman. I am the breakfast cook and baker at camp. This will be my 11th summer at Pemi.

Wojtas Gorzynski – Kitchen Staff: Hi. I’m 23 years old. I’m from Poland and I live in Wroclaw where I study Telecommunication in University of Technology in Wroclaw. My hobby are sports and music. I prefer soccer and basketball. I like spend time with my friends too. On a camp I would like to meet new people and spend a great time with they. At Pemi I will be working on dinning hall serices.

Bartek Hac – Kitchen Staff: I’m 21 and I’m studying on Warsaw School of Economics in Poland. I’m a person of lots of interests – I play in an academic theatre. What is more, I play piano – my biggest musical love is Chopin. I listen to the majority of music genres, however. One of my biggest dreams is working in the radio. I also take pictures and make videos – I wrote, recorded and edited many of them. I am going to work in the kitchen at Pemi for the first time and can’t wait to do that!

Serif Haras – Kitchen Staff: I am from Eskisehir, Turkey. I study at Eskisehir Osmangazy University and my department is electrical electronics engineering. My first year. I worked for short times before as a waiter and support staff in electric shop. I want to learn other cultures and make new friends from other countries in Pemi. I believe that, when I come Pemi, I will learn working principle in another country and I will provide my English.

 

 

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